Rolls-Royce

WORKERS AT Rolls-Royce Aerospace in Bristol are continuing to fight over plans to transfer their jobs. All three shifts in the compressor section walked out on strike on Monday of last week.

Mass meetings held in the factory on Tuesday pledged their support. Workers' anger was further inflamed when the extent of Rolls bosses' greed became clear. Some company directors have been exposed as getting pay awards of up to 48 percent last year.

Chairman Sir Ralph Robbins got a £648,000 pay packet. Chief executive John Rose took home £952,000. Yet more than 100 workers will lose their jobs if the compressor division is transferred up to Scotland. This is on top of 350 job losses announced last year.

The company stands to gain £15 million from the Scottish Executive in grants if the transfer goes ahead. 'It's an example of snouts in the trough,' said Gerry Hicks, Amicus-AEEU union convenor for Rolls-Royce Test Areas. 'This pay award is equivalent to tens of people's jobs.'